Interrogation

My dress transformed back into an ordinary one, and my wings dissolved into a shower of petals that circled me as I closed my eyes.

Cassius wiped the sweat off his brow and said, “Janessa, come with me. Let us interrogate him.”

Amelia said, “Cassius, he is dangerous!”

“I know, that is why Janessa must protect me at all costs.”

“Really, Cassius, I simply do not see any point in listening to him.”

“Alright, please seize any weapons he may still possess and bring him to room 109. Janessa, dear, stay on guard.”

“Eh? Alright.”

I sighed and dragged my feet toward them.

“You must be exhausted, Janessa.”

“I am!” I said, raising my arms.

They stared at me from all directions.

“Alright, alright. I’ll do it,” I said, groaning.

I shuffled my feet all the way there while holding onto Cassius’s sleeve.

“I will reward you for all this, my love,” he said.

“Uh, if you say so.”

I grinned at once, and he smiled back.

It better be something cool, like a phone or money, because I literally have no means in this world.

We descended by the open elevator all the way to the dungeon. They handcuffed him and tied him to a chair.

Cassius walked in circles around the room with his hands behind his back. He looked at the grimy, grey floor, and then into Luke’s eyes.

I stood in a corner of the room, clutching onto my pendant.

“So… pray, tell me what really happened. What drove you to such madness?” asked Cassius.

He sat down at the other side of the table.

Luke stretched his lips thin and looked at the ceiling, only to shout, “Cassius, you are so ignorant! You have always been so. Do you remember the village near the Sea of Pristine where you acquired all that land?”

Cassius blinked and made contact with Luke, averted at gaze, and placed his hand on his chin.

“Ah. It was to build facilities. A new school, a hospital…” said the Prince.

Luke groaned and said, “Do you have any idea what is really happening there?”

“I’ve heard good things about that program…”

“My sister, who had a job there to teach at the school, was abducted and was never returned! I spent a year trying to get her back. The locals say that the royal family has a hand in all of this,” yelled Luke.

Cassius stared blankly at him for a while before hitting his fist on the table.

“Nonsense! Surely I would have heard of this.”

“Nonsense? You should go have a look for yourself! There is no security there at all. You had better take matters into your own hands, or the Islanders will rebel for independence!”

Cassius crossed his arms and said, “Hmm… understood. However, what is your explanation for the assassination attempt?”

“Well…” muttered Luke.

“You simply could have talked it over, and we could have worked together. No, I believe something bigger must be at play.”

Luke smirked and said, “Hmph, I do not believe you will ever know.”

“Sit back and watch me find out,” he said, standing up. “Guards, imprison this imbecile!”

The guards dragged Luke away while he said, “Forgive me, Cassius! I am certain you will forgive me one day.”

Cassius looked behind him and then faced me again as his eyes glistened, and he looked at the floor.

“Goodbye, Luke.”

Cassius didn’t even look at me as he left. I gulped and watched him in silence.

I know that look in his eyes. It’s the same look I saw in my mother’s eyes when my grandmother passed away after she was done crying.

He walked back into the room and said, “Oh, Janessa, do be mindful!”

He held my arm and pulled me out of the room while walking out.

“I simply cannot believe you stood in that horrid interrogation room while I walked out!” he said.

It looks like he’s taking his anger out on me.

“Cass, are you alright?” I asked.

The Prince stopped in his tracks and let go of my arm, only to grab my hand tightly.

“I am afraid not.”

We boarded the elevator as it rose up to the castle’s first floor.

Oh, Mother! You must really miss me. The past feels more like a nightmare to me, but for you, it’s reality.

We walked into the corridor in complete silence. I could hear Cassius’s deep breathing.

He stopped in front of my door and said, “Well, Janessa. You should prepare for the cruise to Prism Island. Then, we can have a look for ourselves, see if Luke is lying.”

“Prince Cassius, are you really thinking of going there?! It’s obviously a trap!” I yelled.

“I do not know why, I must be a fool for thinking like this. There is still a minimal fraction of me that trusts Luke.”

“He tried to kill you!”

“What if he was being blackmailed?” said Cass.

“I really doubt that.”

“You are right, I am truly sorry. Enjoy your evening, Janessa.”

He had the same glistening eyes as before as he turned away from me, then looked at the ceiling, and to the ground.

Unlocking the door, I entered the room, tidied up, and prepared the bath with lots of suds.

Luke really seems like a jerk. It’s hard to imagine him with any other traits.

After hopping out of the shower in an elaborate, frilly bathrobe, I clicked on the magic screen.

“Janessa! You have returned at last,” said Comet.

“Yeah.”

“Hurray! Hurray!” she cheered, throwing virtual flower petals at me.

“Oh, I’m glad to see that you missed me!” I said, beaming and twirling.

“Janessa, you are our hero!” said Comet, playing the trumpet.

“Oh, you’re referring to that incident? Ah, Comet! It was so scary! I was actually preparing to die… again.”

“Here is the news!” she said.

The screen went blank and displayed the front page of a newspaper, which stated the incident, except they spelled my name as Jenessa and said that I was the Prince’s lover.

“Ugh, those morons can’t even spell my name right!”

I pouted, sat down, and crashed onto the bed.

Maybe we should go to the island after all. It probably won’t be too difficult to manage. But, ah! The water, it frightens me!